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Where to Find the Best Hoagies in Philadelphia

Some of the best sandwiches in America’s best sandwich city

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Matt and Marie's Photo by C. Smyth for Visit Philadelphia

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Philadelphia loves great sandwiches. We know them. We love them. We eat them. It’s what we do.

From the world-famous Philly cheesesteak to its less famous (but equally delicious) hoagie to the third juggernaut in Philly’s sandwich triumvirate, the roast pork sandwich, Philadelphia is a sandwich-lover’s dream. It’s no surprise that SAVEUR Magazinedeclared Philadelphia “America’s Best Sandwich City.”

It’s clear there are a lot of great sandwiches in the City of Brotherly Love, but let’s talk about the hoagie. For those unfamiliar, the classic hoagie is made built-to-order on a long Italian roll and is typically filled with deli meats and cheeses and finished with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, a sprinkle of oregano and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. However, hoagies are as diverse as their makers, sometimes coming stuffed with tuna, chicken cutlets and roasted vegetables or topped with punches of flavor like fried long hots, sautéed greens, artichokes and more.

What separates a hoagie from a ham-and-cheese sandwich is the bread. The best hoagies are made atop bread delivered daily from the local bakery. From there, it’s all about the quality of the provolone, the prosciutto, the sopressata, the roasted peppers and whatever else might be going inside.

Hungry yet? Good. Read on for our guide to some of the best spots for authentic Philly hoagies in the City of Brotherly Love.

A major destination for any Italian specialty food connoisseur and purveyor of hoagie fillings galore, Di Bruno Bros. makes a mean sandwich with a high-quality olive-oil drizzle. The original location is in the Italian Market in South Philly; there are also a few locations in Center City as well.

An Old City institution since 1947, Campo’s Deli is well situated for visitors of Philadelphia’s Historic District craving classic hoagies like Italian (salami, ham capacola, peppered ham, pepperoni, prosciutto and provolone) or Italian tuna (oil-packed) on regular or seeded bread. If you can’t make it to Old City or their locations in the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia, don’t fret: They ship to cities nationwide.

Located just a few blocks from the Sports Complex, Pastificio has gained adoration from city officials and pro athletes alike with its Classic Italian hoagie topped with mild provolone, mortadella, capicola, Genoa salami and prosciutto.

Cosmi’s is a tiny corner deli in South Philly that’s been around since the 1930s. There’s barely enough seating for half a dozen people, but the spot still churns out some of the best cheesesteaks, hoagies and roast pork sandwiches in Philadelphia.

All three sandwiches are served on long hoagie rolls, which Cosmi’s gets fresh each day from the famous Sarcone’s Bakery. There are more than a dozen hoagies on the menu. Two of many highlights are the Godfather (made with prosciutto, sopressata, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, green olives, extra virgin olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar) and the Sicilian (made with prosciutto, sopressata, hot imported capicola, imported mortadella, sharp provolone and roasted peppers or long hots). Pro tip: Opt for the seeded roll.

A shop originally from South Philly that’s grown immensely in recent years, Primo Hoagie has elevated the art form with a long list of hoagie variants, including the Turkey Diablo and the Crusher. There are multiple locations across the Philadelphia region.

The Foodery Rittenhouse is both a beer emporium and a delicious sandwich shop. The menu boasts traditional cold hoagies which you can fill with a range of cured meats like mortadella, spicy sopressata, lonza, prosciutto and spicy coppa. Then there are specialty hoagies like the Godfather (a cold hoagie made with coppa, prosciutto, pepperoni and provolone on a long roll) and the Bambino Bianco (an insanely delicious hot sandwich made with fried mortadella, mozzarella cheese, a fried egg and topped with balsamic vinegar on a round roll). Pair your sandwich with one of the hundreds of craft beers available.

Named America’s favorite convenience store, Wawa is a Philadelphia institution, with dozens of locations in the Philadelphia region. Wawa is even the official sponsor of Wawa Hoagie Day each year, during which they proudly build a five-ton sandwich to honor America’s birthday in America’s birthplace. Wawa has long been known for their hoagies, allowing customers to build their own with a huge variety of ingredients (though you can’t go wrong with the classic spicy Italian).

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Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package

Book the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package for stays through June 15, 2018 and get FREE hotel parking as well as a $25 We ♥ 13th Street restaurants gift card, a $25 CHeU Noodle restaurants gift card, a $25 gift card to R2L, a free cheesesteak from Campo's and a $10 Lyft credit.